we got here. Your mother is praising you, Kiara is praising you and I see what I see.”

“However I have some supernatural ability to get into troubles anyway.”

“Unless we have ability to get you away of that, there is no problem…” smiled Kovu. That meant: I didn’t see him smiling, because I was on his back. I just sensed tension of his muscles. But then he again returned to his uneasy mood. “You have nothing to worry about.”

“You have no idea…” I thought, but then discovered something strange in his voice. Perhaps he wanted something to tell me. “But you have, Kovu?” Kovu took a look around, to make sure we are going far enough from others for not to be heard.

“Yeah. Few, but few really nasty ones.” I encouraged him, by nodding my head. “Are you sure you want to hear that?” I nodded again. “So…” he took a deep breath. “First, I have no idea what to do with Lipizi.”

I had no idea too. The point was he asked me for help. Not Kiara.

Pride and rouges returned to cave about two hours after dawn. All were tired (especially Kovu and Jamma, after carrying passengers on their backs) and quickly went to sleep. Apart of two exceptions – Lipizi and Angaa. They exited the cave with cubs, what seemed natural – children needed much move and they had been sleeping all night, so then came time to play for them. Two mature lions and cubs came to Golden Hedge (that meant – few half-dried acacias, growing before entrance) to lay down in its shadow. Angaa made sure that no one was eavesdropping them, then laid down by side of lioness. She shivered a bit under his touch.

“Don’t you think that your brother deserved for at least a week of mourning?” Angaa drew back like slapped, hearing that. He clenched his jaws, stopping any reply. “All right, I’m sorry.” Said lightfurred, but her voice was saying something opposite. “Say what you wanted to say.”

“It was me.” Announced Angaa. “I cause the avalanche.”

“Well done!” smiled Lipizi, stroking his muzzle. Then he narrowed her eyes and added with harsh voice. “But as far as I saw, they are alive.”

“Yes, that was my mistake.” Confessed lion. “I call for help too early.”

“That the heck made you call for help?” she asked poisonously.

“Chungu. He was there and tried to stopped me.”

“You fight with Chungu to do that for me?” she asked, faking disbelief and nestling to his side. “With your best friend… I’m touched…” But then she looked right into his eyes and gasped. “But it was taken in vain anyway.”

“You don’t have to torment me more.” Said Angaa carefully. “You know I will do anything for you.”

“So now, what?” asked lightfurred.

“We wait.” Replied lion. “We must make sure that no one suspect us, make sure that Chungu won’t betray us. Then choose another way, that would looks like an accident. Meanwhile you must stay with pride, gain their trust and help me gather more information.”

Lipizi stayed silent for about minute, mindlessly stroking Angaa’s mane. She was clearly thinking about something else. But finally she rolled aside and said with tempting voice.

“All right, I’m pleased with you. I guess that now you have right to be pleased with me… Take cubs to cave. We will meet in back chamber.” Then she stood up and went into massif direction. Angaa was looking after her, thinking heavily if he still doing what he wanted, or he already had lost ay control.

“I’m just a pawn.” He thought. “All my hope is to be efficient pawn.”

*

Wounds of Tetesi healed quickly. In next few days she was ready to beck to pride tasks or to train Kiara further. For time of her convalescence she was observing life in cave carefully. Or at least some of its aspects. She ignored that Lipizi and Angaa were absent two nights, Chungu was treating lightfurred and sandymaned with cold indifference. She even didn’t care that Kauli was constantly asking king to solve problem of rouges. She was focused just on Kovu in person and his relations with Kiara.

King talked with several times, always somehow stressed and uptight. always he seemed as he wanted to say something important, but he stopped in the last moment. When Kiara was near he was silent and pretended he didn’t care about his subject at all. That was the source of uncertainness but also of hope for Tetesi.

“Something has changed.” Thought brownfurred. “I could only hope that for better.”

On fifth day after accident, king stayed in cave during hunting. He sent whole pride and Lipizi with rouges. Tetesi was watching over cubs, or at least should have. However she felt that the main reason of breaking daily routine was king’s will to talk with her. When residents and guest of Golden Cave left, Kovu came to Tetesi, who was carefully putting cubs to sleep.

“How are Akra and Simmi?” he asked.

“As you see, sir. Good, I guess.” Replied lioness. “They are already used to us… to pride.”

“Cubs…” murmured king and Tetesi somehow sensed in that something very wrong. “May I speak with you… I mean… I must tell you something.” She nodded, encouraging him. “Or… I don’t know. Once I wanted to tell you something, but now it’s no longer important.”

“What that was, sir… Kovu.”

“That was about some conflict, between <sir> and <Kovu>.” Replied blackmaned with careful voice. “But I shouldn’t bothered you wilt that.”

“If that is related to me in any way, I wish to hear it.” Said Tetesi with decisive voice, but then added. “I mean: please, sir.”

He was standing over her for longer time without word, to finally say.

“I… You are very special person to me. You always were, but since you saved my that night we were here for the first time, I think…” He paused and looked on her with helpless stare. “I thought you should know it as the first. Kiara is pregnant. I going to be a father.”

“Stars blessed our pride.” Replied Tetesi with automatic response. It came her easier because she still didn’t fully comprehend meaning of that. Kovu turned his stare to the ground and slowly withdrew to the cave entrance, not looking in Tetesi’s eyes. She was still stroking sleeping cubs, slowly repeating his words in mind. then she froze, from all her might trying to stop claws extending from pawpads. She looked on doorstep, but Kovu was no longer there.

True warrior could be recognised not in times of victory, but in times of defeat. That is the one who doesn’t give up, fight longer that it is necessary, reasonable or possible. That was definitely time for defeat for me, the hardest moment in my life. But I didn’t give up. Just clenched my jaws and calmed down, pretending that nothing happened.

But something had happened, I felt that! Kovu was close to say something more. Is was that what I thought? Perhaps. Maybe he already felt that Kiara isn’t really his mate. He shared with her bed and kingdom, but not deepest thoughts and wants. I sensed that love was dead. Maybe once had been living and flourishing, but not then. The cub was the last try to back the time. So when everything was showing my defeat, I was hoping against all the hope. I was almost sure that I was hit just few steps from success. But it doesn’t mattered it was easy for me to stick with it.

When pride returned to the cave, they found me calm and cool, at least on surface. I gave back cubs to Lipizi, then on rigid paws I exited our keep. Girls were unexpectedly merry and in good mood. I went among laughing and bashful chats, couldn’t stand those. Or maybe it was just me – they were as are usual, but I was ten times so sensitive to they joy. Anyway, it hurt me.

I went on alley, then on path up to plateau. Night had already fallen and I could watch the countless stars above me. But those weren’t shining for me. I was just a lioness of pride, with no royal blood in my veins. Subject, minion, charge. I inhaled the cold air of evening and understood how little I could do against Kiara. For next three months she was about to be untouchable for me. While she was carrying Kovu’s child she was save as she was under constant watch of thousand guards. I couldn’t hurt her. And later… I sensed that whatever Kovu felt in that time, it could change in time, when Kiara became not only mate and queen but also mother of royal child. There was dead end on every path and limited time to choose my way.

Every mother had some kind of sixth sense to feel emotions of her child. She found me soon after and not knowing about even part of my problems just somehow appeased them all. Just hugged me, and let me cry for long hours. I’m not sure if she knew anything then, but she felt it perfectly.

“It’s not the end, my child.” She whispered to my ear. “Tomorrow will be a new day. And the same day after. Sooner or later it will come your day.”

“But it can’t be undo.” I sobbed. “It’s too late.”

“Are you sure of that?”

I wasn’t, so I didn’t have up. I was a fighter again and clenched my jaws to endure that bad time. Mother gave me strength.

VI. Long live the dead!

Pregnancy of lions last from about three and half to four months. For desert lioness shorter, sometimes even three months, due to usual hard lifestyle of mothers. So Nature allow them give birth faster and sooner back to pride duties. But Kiara wasn’t desert lioness. In fact no one knew how could he endure difficult conditions of pregnancy in Golden Sands. What would be completely natural to other member of pride, for her was a threat. That why all Golden Ones were doing their best to secure their queen and her heir.

Tetesi was there, participating in efforts of pride. They had much work, so no one could go idle. Apart of Kiara, they had to watch over Lepizi cubs (lioness finally decided to join the pride) and assist Danti and Kauta. Both lioness were pregnant too. Fathers were Jamma and Chungu, what caused very important changes in living in Golden Sands.

Kovu forged a compromise between old customs and expectations of pride.